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The Witch War
Chapter 1 Summary: The village of Blackbriar is attacked by goblin raiders who are more interested in stealing children and slaughtering the adults than stealing food. Only one person is known to have escaped, Harvyn Thorn Narration: Harvyn Thorn , a ranger of the Green Wardens , manages to escape from the village of Blackbriar as it was being raided by a mass of goblins. The goblins were over the village's short, wooden wall before the alarm was even sounded. Usually goblin raiders sneak in, grab food, and escape. These goblins were going out of their way to kill the adults and capture the young. Harvyn knew that he couldn't defeat them all so he grabbed a few of the women and children and tried to escape out of the village and get to the Blackthorn River. Harvyn and the small group were attacked by a pack of goblins no more than one hundred yards from the village. The goblins attacked as they were loading everyone into a boat to escape - impaling the women with their barbed javelins. Harvyn turned and tried to strike at the goblins with his short sword but he was hit in the back with two spears and fell into the boat while the goblins were stealing the children and retreating back to the village. They seemed disinterested in making sure that he was dead only that they could get the children. Chapter 2 Summary: '''A young, common-born wizard's apprentice, Kyson, and his best friend Talik, a Dwarf-blooded apprentice Blacksmith, discover the body of the injured Green Warden, Harvyn Thorn, floating in a boat on the river. They get him back to town while Kyson tries to help heal his injuries. '''Narrative: '''Kyson, a common-born apprentice wizard, and his best friend Talik, a dwarven-blooded apprentice Blacksmith, are walking back from the village of Thornbury after Kyson had delivered a package to the the Chief Miner of the village. It was early in the morning, the boys had stayed over because they arrived late the previous night. They were walking down the river road and talking about this or that the way that young boys do when Kyson noticed a boat stuck in the reeds near by. Talik was quick to investigate as he didn't want to have to walk half a day back to the town of Thornhaven, their home. He called back to Kyson when he discovered Harvyn, still alive, but with two spears in his back in the boat. Kyson, as an apprentice wizard, had been schooled in alchemy and apothecary. He was no master by any means but he knew enough of the healing arts to try and help the Warden. Talik paddled while Kyson tried removed the spears and bandaged the man as well as he could. When they arrived at Thornhaven, Kyson sent up a red flare with his magic to draw the attention of the guards. Talik got the boat to the docks and a few of the fishermen had helped them get the warden out and onto a wide board they used as a stretcher. By the time the guards showed up, hearing that they had a wounded Warden with them, Harvyn began to stirr. He told Kyson that he was Lord Bardos ' brother and had urgent news for the Baron. The guards escorted the fishermen who carried the wounded Warden up and to the castle. One of the guards told Talik to run ahead and tell the guards at the castle to fetch a healer. Kyson, gripping his apprentice ring tightly, called silently to his Master, Tethys , in the hopes that he would come as well. Chapter 3 '''Summary: Kyson and Talik take the injured Warden to the castle because the man says he has urgent business for the local Baron, Lord Bardos Alba. While the warden is being treated they are interrogated by Daegan Alba, Bardos' eldest son. They are accused of stealing the boat they found the Warden in and lieing about the news of the goblin attack. The boys are released into the custody of Master Tethys, the head-master of the local Priory where Kyson is a student after Baron Bardos discovers that their story was true from the warden, his half-brother. Narrative: Kyson, Talik and the others got the Warden into the castle and to the healer who questioned Kyson what he had done for the man so far. One of the guards began to question Talik when Daegan , Lord Bardos' eldest son, came to see what all the fuss was about. Talik explained where they were and how they found the ranger in the boat. He told them that the man had two goblin javelins in his back when they came across him. Daegan, not one to talk to common-born folk with a kind word, immediately asked if Talik was prepared to answer for his crime for stealing the boat. Additionally, he demanded proof that Talik's story was true and for him to produce the goblin spears. Talik, frustrated and starting to be afraid, explained that the spears where probably still in the boat at the docks. Daegan immediately ordered two guards to go to the docks and recover the spears to prove the boy's guilt or innocence. When Kyson was finished talking to the healer, he joined Talik who was being questioned by Daegan. He explained that everything that Talik had said was true and that he was there as a witness. Daegan immediately dismissed everything that Kyson had said as a lie because, as a low-born and as a wizard, he was doubtless twisting the truth into his own benefit to become the 'hero' of the story. Kyson shook his head and repeated the details of the story when Daegan's father, Lord Bardos, appeared and asked what was going on. Daegan presented the two boys as thieves and liars who should be held in the castle dungeon until they're willing to tell him the truth. The healer appeared just before Bardos was about to agree with his son to say that the Baron's Brother, Harvyn, was awake enough to talk. While the baron left to hear his half-brother's words, the guards returned with the two goblin spears which forced Daegan to accept that the two boys weren't, at least, lying but he wanted them held for stealing the boat. Kyson tried to explain that if they hadn't taken the boat they would not have been able to get back to the town fast enough to save the Baron's Half-Brother. Daegan ordered that Kyson be seized by the guard and that if he tried to speak again that he should be gagged to prevent him from casting any spells upon them. Kyson, already afraid of Daegan's habit of jumping to the wrong conclusion with the speed of an arrow shot from a crossbow, now began to grow angry. The young noble wouldn't listen to reason or any version of the truth other than his own. The words of a spell started to creep into his mind as he started to pull mana into his body to cast it. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand on end as he felt the shiver start to climb up through his body letting him know that he had the magical fuel to cast the spell that he was aiming. Tethys arrived in time to feel the mana being into Kyson's body. With a single word in the language of magic, though not as a spell, he told his apprentice to silence the spell and calm himself. Daegan spun around to see the Wizard walking up to them and reached for his sword though he did not draw it. Lord Bardos emerged from speaking with his half-brother and ordered Daegan to tell him what he was doing. His son explained that he ordered the guards to arrest Kyson for preparing to cast a spell upon him. Talik tried to interject and correct the telling but was quieted with a silent, sudden glance from Tethys. Lord Bardos ordered the guards to release Kyson and told Tethys to take custody of the boys. His 'gift' to the two for saving the life of his half-brother. Daegan, fuming for being thwarted in front of commoners, stormed off and left his father, the Baron, with the Wizard of his House and the Town. Tethys asked about his brother, Harvyn and told the boys to return to the Priory and wait for him. Chapter 4 Summary: '''Now back at he Priory, Kyson waits to hear how badly the Warden was hurt and what attack the man was talking about. Tethys returns to tell Kyson that the boy's home village of Blackbriar has been attacked by goblins and all are feared to be lost. Kyson wants to return home but Tethys doesn't allow it. He tells the boy that Baron Bardos has agreed to send men to the village to investigate. If any survivors are found they will be sent to the town for safety. All he can do is wait. '''Narration: While waiting for his master to return, Kyson notes the arrival of the Silver Dragon Caravan into town as they are heading into the Sleepy Dragon Inn across the street from the Priory. The Caravan brings a lot of goods to the town that they can't produce like books from the library at the city of Highward, trade goods from the Dwarves of the Shield Mountains and sometimes even elven jewelry from the forest kingdom of Mythquendyl . Chapter 5 Summary: '''A pilgrim who was traveling with the Silver Dragon Caravan comes to the Priory to inquire with Kyson's master, Tethys Thornwalker , about another of his order who was supposed to be doing research with the local Hanabril. As Tethys hasn't returned yet, Kyson must entertain the Pilgrim for a moment while Tethys returns. '''Narration: Category:History/Arcane Category:Fiction/Kyson